Debbie, a still-spry 79, started collecting her costumes and props four decades ago at auctions held by major film studios, including MGM and Fox, and eventually acquired 3,500-plus items.
But the auction meant the end of her dream. After the closing of her memorabilia museum in Las Vegas, Debbie hoped to relocate the museum to Pigeon Forge, Tenn., near Dollywood. Last year, however, Reynolds' son, Todd Fisher, said that the project had to file for bankruptcy protection and that the collection would be sold to satisfy creditors.
More items are to be auctioned in December.
Take that, Hef
It's taken awhile for news of the nuptials to leak out, because paparazzi don't stalk 51-year-old character actor Doug Hutchison ("The Green Mile," "24"), but Hutchison married aspiring country singer Courtney Alexis Stodden on May 20 in Las Vegas.
She's 16.
She looks 35, but still.
"We're aware that our vast age difference is extremely controversial," the couple, speaking as one, told E! Online. "But we're very much in love and want to get the message out there that true love can be ageless."
Since even to marry in Vegas one has to be 18, Courtney's parents had to give their blessings.
"We are totally supportive of this marriage," mom Krista Stodden told RadarOnline.com. Mom said her daughter was a "good Christian girl" and "a virgin when she married Doug."
"Doug is a wonderful man and we love him," mom said.
And although Courtney looks as if she has a little tread on her tires and a little helium in her balloons, Mom says Courtney is all natural.
"She is a beautiful girl," she said. "She has real breasts, real lips; she's not plastic."
Tattbits
* A former teacher in Illinois has joined efforts to get a class-action lawsuit approved against "Three Cups of Tea" author Greg Mortenson since reports questioned the book's accuracy.
Deborah Netter of Lake County filed a federal lawsuit this month in Illinois claiming Mortenson, his co-author and his publisher violated the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act.
Two Montana lawmakers have filed a similar claim there claiming they had been duped into buying Mortenson's best-selling book and donating to his charity based on lies they thought were true.
Both suits are seeking class-action status so they can be joined by the millions of people who bought Mortenson's books, heard his speeches or donated to his charity.
* "Spider-Man: Turn Off the
Dark," which finally had its opening night, has offered proof: If you rebuild it, they will come.
The musical may have ushered in the era of the review-proof Broadway show, because even though critics were not kind, it grossed more than $1.2 million last week and even beat the multi-Tony-winning "The Book of Mormon." The reviews acknowledged improvement over the earlier version but were still poor.
But so what, the show is big, loud, colorful and features an iconic superhero. And just like NASCAR, you might witness an accident.
Daily News wire services contributed to this report.
Email:gensleh@phillynews.com.
